Why Do You Hold Your Cup Like That?
by 0nlooker
Summary: [Oneshot] Levi takes a tea break after working for hours, he invites his butler Eren to have tea with him. He notices that Eren holds his cup weirdly. [Cover Image not Mine - ownership belongs to the artist]


**(o/o)  
Umm...  
Umm...  
This is my first FanFic and published work so please be kind to me. I also welcome constructive criticism.  
m(_ _)m**

**I don't know where this came from but once I thought of it I had to write it down. I proofread this work myself so I don't know how effective that is...  
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**If you see any errors please tell me and I'll fix it as soon as possible.**

**Please note:**

**Eren is not a Reincarnated Character**

**Eren's immortal due to his Titan Genes**

**Although Eren says that he was a soldier for a short time, in reality its actually a few decades but since he's an immortal he's lived for quite a while**

**Don't ask why and how Eren ended up as a Butler for Levi's family (Even I don't know that)**

**[EDIT] I've done some minor edits, just changing some tenses and stuff...**

**Enjoy...?**

**(Is that what people say?)**

***rambles on***

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Levi hears the constant ticking of the clock on the far left hand side of his study room. He's been sitting in the same position for a while now. Stacks of papers towering on his left, a fountain pen resting on his right hand, a few documents he'd been reading in between and an empty cup of tea in front of him. He sighs.

"Eren, will you pour me some more tea?"

"Of course young master." Eren replies as he walks towards Levi's desk to retrieve his master's cup. He then proceeds towards the trolley with the tea set on top of it.

Levi watches as his head butler fetch him some more tea. Eren has always been a constant factor in his short life, always being there, though he was always a step behind and never beside him. He always thought it was weird how his butler never looked a day older than nineteen. Levi assumed it was due to good genetics or something along those lines. He soon snaps out of his reverie the moment Eren places his cup now full of tea in front of him.

Levi nods; he was always taught never to thank someone doing their own job.

But his gratitude was still received by Eren who in turn gave him a small smile then walks back to his previous position just moments before.

Levi could never understand the gravity of Eren's loyalty; he knew that this man was someone who could never be bound to one place. Fire silently burning behind those bright eyes of his, hiding beneath a mask of obedience. He was someone that never stayed obedient for long and yet here he was, serving tea to someone. But he had seen that mask break once; it had been the time when people had kidnapped him for his family's fortune. After the incident every time he closed his eyes at night he could still remember the way Eren's eyes glowed a startling green. The way his butler took down his kidnappers all by himself still left him in awe.

That had been the moment Levi knew that this person beside him was a monster. Not because he killed someone, but he had the 'will' to kill someone without an ounce of hesitation or remorse. His will was something that could not be changed by words, action, danger, fear, peace, violence and perhaps even love. Only the man himself could change it.

"Eren have tea with me." Eyeing his butler.

"My apologies young master, but it is unbefitting for a servant to drink tea with his employer." Eren replied with a short bow.

"I don't care, now pour yourself a cup of tea and join me by the balcony." Levi slowly lifts himself up from his chair to walk towards the balcony by his right, not bothering to wait for his servant to answer.

"And bring my cup as well will you." Levi places his hand on the doorknob and opened the large door leading towards the balcony.

Levi was momentarily blinded by the change of lighting and shields his eyes from the sun with his arm.

"_Tsk_… It's too damn bright." He complained as he walks towards one of the balcony chairs to sit down. Once he's seated he takes a deep breath as he closes his eyes and exhale audibly. A break was something he really needed and he could already feel the stiff muscles starting to loosen.

_Clank_.

"Your tea, sir." Eren smiles as he sets the teacup down. He then sits on the remaining chair, which was placed in front of Levi.

Once again the younger man did not thank him, he lifts the saucer and his teacup to smell the hot tea. He crosses his legs.

"Is this Assam tea?" he comments.

"Yes young master, Sasha our cook just recently ordered a fresh batch of tea leaves from the Reeves Company."

"Ho… Not bad." Levi hums, as he reaches to hold the handle on the cup bringing it close to his lips to sip his favourite tea.

Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Eren giving him a somewhat sad smile, Eren soon notices Levi looking at him then proceeds to smile brightly.

"What?" He asks questioningly.

Eren shakes his head, making his brunet hair sway with him. "It's nothing important sir."

"Eren don't call me sir, I am on my break so call me Levi." He scolds as he takes another sip.

Eren hesitates for a moment and finally replies, "Alright s-Levi…" flashing him an endearing smile. He then looks at his cup for a moment then reaches to hold the rim. Covering the majority of it and tilts his head back to drink his serve of tea.

Levi watches unabashedly as his butler drink his tea in an abnormal fashion. Never has he seen someone drink the way his butler did just then. As Eren slowly lowers his cup and moves to place it back on top of the saucer Levi notices the glazed look on his teal-eyed butler. The raven-haired male felt his chest constrict as a sad smile slowly graces the tanned face in front of him. Levi felt his throat tickle, the urge to squeeze both his hands was starting to become unbearable. He watches silently as Eren's eyes slowly gain back its light, his butler smiles.

Silence surrounds them neither male were trying hard to make conversation but Levi could feel a question slowly making its way to his mouth. But he waits until both their teacups were half empty before asking his question.

Taking a deep breath Levi finally gathers enough courage to ask his question. "Why do you hold your cup like that?" A seemingly innocent question but Levi could see how much it affects the man in front of him.

Eren's facial expression didn't change at the question; it wasn't surprising since he was anticipating it. But anyone could tell that his demeanour shifts in to something more solemn. Eren could slowly feel his facial muscle morphs to a desolate smile, so before the raven-haired man could see this, he turns to look at the beautiful vista of a virginal forest beside him.

But it was too late Levi's seen the pained smile appear on Eren's face.

If he looks even closer he'd noticed tears starting to appear. But Eren blinks his emotion and tears away as he looks back at his master. Another smile, not his blinding one but one of pain, loneliness and anger mixed into one.

When Levi sees Eren's face he quickly adds, "You don't have to answer that..."

Now it was Eren's turn to take a deep breath and shakes his head. "No, I'll answer it. Just give me a moment… I… drink like that because it reminds me of someone."

Once again the raven-haired male feels his chest tighten. What's happening to me? Why does my chest hurt? Did my lunch give me heartburn?

"If you don't mind me asking, is this person important to you?" Ignoring the pain he continues to ask his question. Although he's known the brunet for all of his life he's never heard anything about his past other than what he's experienced with the older man so far.

Eren chuckles and responds, "Yes they were- are..." he adds.

Levi notices that he used past tense implying that this person had already passed away.

"This person used to be a thug in the underworld you see, polite mannerisms were never taught to him properly. When someone else had tried to teach him the right way of doing it, he couldn't break out of the habit of drinking his cup like that, so he just stuck to what he knew and just rolled with it." The teal-eyed male had that faraway look again as he reminisces his past, smiling to an inside joke of his.

"A thug you say… How did you go a bouts meeting such a brutish person?"

Eren laughs at the younger male's description, his sea green eyes sparkling with delight as he answers, "Well I didn't meet him in a conventional way, but something major happened to me back then and it landed me in gaol. No, I'm not going to tell you how I ended up there, anyway by then he had cleaned up his act and became someone very important to the military. He offered me a place in his division. I accepted and he looked after me from then on."

Levi's right brow lifts in surprise. "You were in the military?"

"Yeah, but only for a little while…" The air became heavy again, suffocating both of them.

"A thug to a military man eh? What kind of person was he?"

This time Eren didn't hesitate and jumps to answer his young master.

"Although he was a changed military man he was still somewhat brutish. He kept some of his thug vocabulary and had a fondness of talking about a person's bowel movement and often uses 'shitty' metaphors quite literally. Excuse me for the crude language, Levi sir. The funny thing about him was that he was quite a clean freak, on the contrary to his vocabulary. He often ordered everyone to have a 'spring clean' every two weeks. Even forcing the commander himself to sweep the backyard." Eren sniffs away imaginary tears.

"There is nothing wrong with wanting a clean house Eren…" Levi complains, somewhat feeling quite insulted and he didn't even know the man.

"Of course I know that, Captain engrained in me his OCD for cleanliness." He smiles.

For some odd reason Levi feels pleased. Weird… Why does that make me happy?

"But please feel our pain! We often had to train for hours without end until we coughed up blood, to perfect our skills. Normally we wouldn't complain because he is someone of authority but not only were we tired to the bone. But he was a very, very scary man to most people. Some said his glare could freeze you others said it could obliterate you. Hahaha… I never understood why they always felt that way though… Sure I was afraid of him in the beginning because… But he was a very kind man that cared deeply for all his subordinates and he even took care of me. I respected him, worshiped the very ground he walked on… he's that amazing."

Levi notices that his cup was empty and reaches over the small table of for the pot of tea Eren had kindly brought with him. Pouring more for himself he gestures to Eren if he wanted more but his butler declines his offer. Levi was quiet for a few moments taking in the warm drink before he finally asks the most important question about this person.

"What happened to him…?" Levi asks quietly.

Eren felt his eyes grow hot, salty tears starts leaking from his oceanic eyes and runs down his bronzed skin. He tries his best not to cry as he reminisces about his Captain but he's been holding his tears and sadness for far too long and it leaks out of him. Using the back of his hand he wipes away his tears and tries so hard to regain control of his emotions again.

Levi sat there silently watching the older man break down in front of him. The dull pain in his chest was back in full force once again it was slowly suffocating him. He wants nothing more than to hold the man in front him and wait patiently for him to stop crying. He didn't care if tears, spit or snot got on his expensive shirt. But he knew right now a tender touch would shatter the older man so he opts to give him his stark white handkerchief instead.

Eren gratefully takes the white cloth, breathing in the faint scent of mint and lavender, and wipes his tears, snot and sadness off his face.

"I'm sorry Levi, I did not mean to break down like that."

"No I'm sorry for asking such a personal question. I shouldn't have…"

"No it's fine, anyway the Captain saved my life… He was an idiot for doing that. If the attack had hit me I would have been fine, I still would have survived, even though I would have been stuck in bed for a while. But he forgot about that and saved me… The idiot died in my arms, it was the first time I swore at his face. I demanded why he did that, screaming that he was an idiot, I would have been fine if it hit me instead. But he just said 'you've been through enough in your life… You don't need to feel more pain'. Ha… I screamed that him dying would cause me more pain. He only said he didn't think it would hit him that badly."

Eren experiences a flashback and remembers what his Captain Levi said with his last breath.

_I Love you…_

"After he died my… our mission was complete. Soon after, I quit the military and left to travel the world." With that Eren finishes his story.

"Well sir, you're probably peckish by now. I'll go to the kitchen and see if Sasha whipped up something amazing again." He stands up picking up his cup of tea with him and walks towards the trolley.

"Thank you for telling me, Eren."

Eren remains silent for a beat and smiles his most brilliant smile. "It's quite alright sir, I'm happy you listened... And I'm happy now." and quietly adds to himself, "Because I found you again…"

"What?" Levi didn't hear the end bit.

"Nothing, I'll be right back young master. You just stay here, relax, and wait for me to bring you your snack." Eren closes the balcony door leaving Levi with his half empty cup of tea.

It was silent again. But not the desolate kind of silence, Levi could still hear birds chirping by the trees and their house dog, Sawney, that his childhood friend Hanji named barking at, Bean the cat. He hates the names but it stuck for some ungodly reason. He looks at his cup silently contemplating his action then carries on imitating the way Eren had drank his. He didn't spill a single drop of tea as he drinks in an unorthodox way. It felt natural to him, like it had always been the way he drank, up until that moment.

"Ho… _Not bad_." He muses.

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**I hoped you enjoyed reading this :)**

**If you read the tag 'Oblivious! Levi' on AO3 yes he does have a crush on his butler but still doesn't know it. If he does he'll just dismiss it as Heartburn (really...?).**

**I recently changed my tumblr accounts so my main blog only has a hundred or so posts in there... If you want to Follow/Talk/Ask me stuff, I linked my account on my profile.**

**Its a Zero instead of an 'O' btw. My blog description is on the bottom of my tumblr page so you can read it there.**

**Thanks for reading :D**


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